following true north

Being unavailable is not a crime. It is, however, becoming a rare condition and one that is almost considered an illness. I strongly disagree. (please click on Read More below)

​Yes, I know that being emotionally unavailable has gotten very negative press lately – that's different. What I mean by unavailable is choosing to turn off distractions, interruptions, requirements and yes, cell phones and or computers, because they bring all of the above.

We need to be unavailable to the outside world to listen to our inside world. And we really, really need to listen to our inside world. Sensory input in a normal day can be so intense that it's a miracle we can remember our own names. It feels as if our own thoughts and feelings are drowning. It's like we are standing under a massive waterfall of input.

I suggest that you find ways to be unavailable. This may sound subversive, but do it anyway. Wear ear plugs whenever you can get away with it. Make excuses, “I have a terrible headache – I'm going to lie down for half an hour”, “My phone battery died”, “I'm in a really noisy restaurant, can I call you back?”, “I left my phone in the office yesterday”, etc. etc. “so sorry!”

​Just be unavailable. Embrace it. See what happens. You might like it.